The Palace Restored

The conclusion of Shards, Ember's Quest, and Forevergreen
(Shards 16)
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Cutter's elves, Ember's elves, the Forevergreen elves and the Sun Village elves are all now gathered in the Palace (along with two trolls and the human Shuna).

Rayek realizes he can no longer be 'master of the Palace' now that he must use all his strength to keep Winnowill's spirit entrapped inside himself. That honor now falls to Timmain, Suntop and Skywise. They join minds and send out a call to all elves, so that any elves who wish it can join them in the Palace.

The Palace then flies to the Frozen Mountains, where they find a new generation of Go-Backs, an elf tribe which has survived through the 10,000 years of the Palace's disappearance.
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Venka, Aroree and the Go-Backs decide to depart the Palace to go on a search for Venka's mother Kahvi and the Glider Tyldak, whose whereabouts are unknown. Two-Edge begs Venka to take him along with her, which she does, and the group heads out of the Palace into the Frozen Mountains to begin their search.

Ember wishes to return to Howling Rock to continue tracking down whatever of Winnowill's twisted magical creatures may still be lurking there or in the Djun's former city. Her lovemate Mender the healer decides to go with her, as do the two trolls Flam and Drub, and some of the other elves: Scouter, Dewshine, Tyleet, Pike, Krim, and Yun.

Rayek decides to venture off on his own, his life's only purpose now being to keep Winnowill's malevolent spirit from escaping his body. Despite everything, he still loves Winnowill. Ekuar alone accompanies him out of the palace.

The Palace then takes a short journey into space, to Skywise's immense delight and Cutter's overwhelmed horror.

The human Shuna is overwhelmed by all of the elves and their immense power, and stays hidden in a corner, until Leetah and Tyleet find her and comfort her. Cutter and Leetah invite Shuna to stay and live with them, and Shuna readily agrees to do so.

Cutter, Leetah, Shuna and the Wolfriders return in the Palace to the forest that the humans had burned down shortly after the death of Cutter's father Bearclaw. They plan to rebuild the Holt there on top of the remains of the Father Tree, of which Redlance carries one seed, and return to living by the Way and the “now” of wolf thought. The Palace will stay hidden (disguised) there till it is needed again. Suntop, Skywise, Timmain and the Sun Villagers all plan to live in the Palace, at least for the time being.

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